Insights on Online Education in India in 2021

The business of education in India is a
serious business indeed. With the world’s fastest growing population, the
country with the fastest increasing smart phone usage and mobile network
connectivity and perhaps the most number of ‘boards of education’ – the scope
for ed-tech firms to make a mark in Indian education is ‘HUGE’. The past few
days have seen various newspapers referring to a study commissioned by Google
and conducted by KPMG India on the future of online education in India.

Key Findings as Listed in the Report

Current size of the online
education market in India = US$247 million.

Estimated size of market by
2021 = US$1.96 billion.

Key areas of growth include –
primary and secondary education, certification and re-skilling and test
preparation.

The single largest growth
potential lies in the primary and secondary education sector with a value of
US$ 773 million by 2021.

Affordability of learning,
quality of content, brand endorsement and peer reviews will play key roles in
learners buying a course.

Learning will shift towards
smart phones and tablet devices.

Providers who offer value-added
services and not just learning content will stay ahead in the game!

About Skillability

Skillability is a life-long learning portal
that offers courses for learners in the age-group of three to 55 years. We
believe that we shall stand apart from the competition in terms of the courses
that we offer with a special focus on Special Education and Teacher Training
programmes and career-reskilling programmes. We are building this website
bit-by-bit and are actively looking to add unique courses that can make a
difference. Write to us at helpdesk@skillability.in
if you are keen to promote your course through Skillability.

What the Future Holds?

The push for a digital education system is
quite strong; please remember the human teacher can never be replaced and every
product or software that comes into the market is only a supplementary product
that can help simplify education. The online education market is on a roll with
loads of services free and paid are available that help learners acquire
skills, certification and knowledge. What will separate the winners from the ‘also-rans’
will be the ability of providers to stay unique from various clones in the
market and offer adaptive learning courses that have quality learning content
at the right price. With the focus shifting on mobile, we are looking at a
scenario wherein learning will be delivered by apps. Right from buying to
accessing and receiving a certificate or a digital badge that can be showcased
on a social profile will be on the smart phone.

Online Course Providers and the Changing Face of Learning

How privileged are we to live in a world where we have high-speed data connectivity, affordable computing and mobile devices and services from banking to shopping in the form of an app on our mobile phones! Learning is no different, today education or training is not limited to a classroom-based set-up. We are seeing a growth in the number of online course providers and the game-changing MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses that offer online courses for free. The entire learning ecosystem is shifting towards a digital set-up. This blog post looks at how online course providers need to innovate and how they can change the way students and learners acquire knowledge.

Traditional learning requires the presence of both the teacher and the student to be face-to-face in a room and at a pre-defined time and a set number of lessons and exams need to be completed within a fixed period that leads to the learner completing a specific course and acquiring a certificate or a degree. What online learning does is that it removes the restrictions of the learner and the teacher being at the same place at the same time. A learner can access course content whenever he or she wants and get queries classified via email or a forum. The forum is an integral tool that helps learners from around the world to connect with each other and get their queries answered.

The past few years have seen the rise of learning on mobile phones with specialised apps that run entire courses in the form of micro learning nuggets. These nuggets can be easily accessed and learners actually learn on the go from instructional videos and demonstrations. Affordability is another important factor; one can learn to become an Android developer or a web developer at less than US$25.

Around the world, in educational institutions as well as corporate firms, training and development is undergoing a paradigm shift. From getting things done with a basic framework to customized and adaptive learning being built into the learning solutions, online learning is the way forward. In universities and schools, online learning can complement existing textbook based learning. Experts in chosen fields get a chance to interact with learners from around the world and recorded videos and live webinars are other factors that make online learning attractive.

As stated in the first paragraph, the phenomenon of MOOCs is another interesting factor that is changing online learning. MOOCs offer a big library of courses across different subjects. These are provided by leading universities and private course providers and offered for free. Usually these MOOCs are designed to introduce learners to specific topics and give them a ‘taste’ of what the subject broadly covers. Once the learner feels confident and is interested then they are usually directed to enrol for a full-length paid course. We also have not-for-profit bodies like the Khan Academy putting up helpful videos for school and university students across subject categories and age-groups and this is used by students from all over the world.

Another crucial factor is the importance of staying relevant and up-skilled. The past few months have been tough for IT firms around the world, not just India. With lay-offs and pink-slips being handed out with alarming speed; it is important for working professionals to acquire domain expertise in multiple subjects and be ready to face any challenge that recession and government policies create.

In sum total, online learning will continue to grow and we will shortly see the growth of an ‘app-only’ learning model, which will move the entire process of acquiring knowledge to the mobile phone and people will be able to buy and download courses directly on their phones. This is the future and get ready for ‘learning on the go’. As always, the human teacher will remain an integral part of learning and learning will never ever be completely replaced by an artificial programme or robot.

Staying Up-Skilled in the Time of Lay-Offs

The past six months have been quite painful for the Indian IT Industry. Like the proverbial golden goose that laid precious eggs, the Indian IT boom has built the careers and lives of two generations of people now. With growing costs, a hostile situation in the USA, with Trump making it clear in no uncertain terms that he wants jobs for Americans and visa rules becoming stricter, there has been a lot of hustle and bustle in the Indian IT sector.

Every single leading player, be it Infosys, TCS, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra or Wipro - are all handing out pink-slips to employees. The reason being cited is 'non-performance' based on internal performance reviews. This is a standard template text response that leading firms cite; the honest answer is that projects are drying up. At one point, the malpractice of inflating members assigned on projects, time taken and boosting billing hours to generate revenues is slowly taking its toll. 'Being on the bench' is no longer a possibility. You either have a project and a job to execute or you simply leave. Poor planning, flawed HR and recruitment practices and the greed of top management is leading to the chaos that's begun.

One needs to realize the significance of the events that are unfolding. There are a lot of specialist smaller firms that complete mini-projects and hand over to the big players. So if projects dry up for the big players; sequentially these smaller vendors will also have to shut shop - a cruel domino effect of sorts!!

One can no longer just manage to survive with one skill. As a working professional, it is imperative that you are adequately trained and competent in multiple job-roles. One honestly needs to have a 'Plan-B'. At Skillability, we offer multiple certified courses across job-roles. Invest in yourself, invest in your future; be it graphic design, web development or Android or iOS10 development; we have a specific course for you. If you wish to become a care-giver or special education needs trainer - we have courses in 'Autism Care' as well.

This World Autism Awareness Day Join Our Crash Courses in Drama for Autism

“Current epidemiological studies
carried out worldwide indicate that at least 1 child in every 150 new-borns has
an autistic spectrum disorder. This makes autism the third most common
developmental disorder, affecting upwards of fifty lakhs of people in India,
more common than Down’s syndrome, spina bifida, or cancer in paediatric
populations.”

Source – ‘Autism Spectrum Disorders – A Guide for Paediatricians in India’
– Published by AAHAN Publications Division of the National Centre for Autism

The book cited above was published in 2008 and roughly nine
years after its publication in India we are at a better state in identifying
autism in children. Special education schools and care centres have mushroomed
in major cities around the country and there is heightened awareness about
autism after the movie – ‘Taare Zameen
Par’ brought light on how learning disorders affect children. Today, with
the explosion of the Internet and the power of the smartphone, parents have
access to a huge wealth of information that helps them tackle each day in
helping their children with autism to reintegrate into regular society.

We once again quote a specific paragraph from the book
referenced above:

“Many youngsters with
autism appear to have sensory difficulties with unusual responses to sensory
stimuli, difficulties with proprioception, and motor clumsiness. In addition,
many children and adults with autism may experience anxiety disorders. Anxiety
may become particularly heightened as children approach adolescence. At this
time, difficulty in forming friendships and negotiating the social world may
lead to depression in some people with autism. Just because a person with
autism has difficulty forming appropriate relationships, it does not mean that
they are immune to the pain that comes from social rejection and isolation.”

The challenge is multi-fold; for parents to identify that
their children have autism, the belief that they can be reintegrated into
society; and identify specialised programmes that they can take to help their
children.

At Skillability, we partnered with Dr. Parasuram Ramamoorthi
of the Velvi Foundation to bring to our users the Drama for Autism course; an
intensive six-month programme whose first batch shall end shortly. We got
repeated requests from users around the world for a shorter and focused
programme that would not require so much time to be invested! Acceding to these
requests, in tune with 'World Autism Awareness Day' on April 2; we present two new courses:

About the Courses:

The courses are priced at INR 5750 each (inclusive of all
taxes). They run for eight weeks each and comprise four modules and four
assignments. Participants will interact with course-instructors using GTalk and
email and will access lessons and videos through Skillability. The courses are
interactive with feedback dissemination and validation of ideas and concepts
through personal mentoring by the instructors. All participants who complete
either course successfully will receive a certificate of completion from Velvi
and Skillability.

Drama and Masks in Understanding Autism

Autism is seen as a neurological disorder and it is also
called Pervasive Developmental Disorder. All scientific research indicates that
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a condition and not as a disease. Over the years
there has been a marked increase in the number of children being diagnosed with
ASD and parents of such children are finding it tough to offer them a proper education.
Specialised schools are less in number and securing admission in them is quite
tough. These crash courses on Drama for Autism will be effective in helping
parents and special educators discover hidden facets of their children with
autism and help them communicate better with their children.

Masks

Masks play a key role in this course. Children with autism
rarely look at others directly or face-to-face. Their eyes are focused on
something far away or look at the ground or their own hands. Masks are used in
this course to demonstrate how children socialize with others when their face
is covered by a mask.

Focal Points

This is another key area of discussion and examines how
children use facial expressions and their voice to communicate their thoughts and
desires.

About Dr. Parasuram

Dr. Parasuram Ramamoorthi has been working in the field of ‘Arts
for Autism’ since 2003 and has conducted workshops on drama for autism in
Europe/England /USA and in several parts of India. Some key achievements:

·Awarded a special prize for being a positive change in
society through his courses by Our Better World, Singapore.

·Retired Professor of Theatre Madurai Kamaraj University.

·Vice-Chair of International Association of Theatre for
Autism.

·A poet, playwright and internationally renowned director.

·One of the pioneers in the field of Applied Drama.

Signing Up for the Courses

The courses start on April 3, 2017. Please visit www.skillability.in and register as a
member. Then select the courses you would like to join and complete the payment
process to sign up for the courses. Please note that each course is priced at
INR 5750 and if you are looking for group discounts; please write to helpdesk@skillability.in for
attractive offers.

This Summer make a conscious choice to sign up
for these courses and equip yourself to help and understand children with
autism better. Every child is a gift of God and we strive to make every child a
success story!

Coding as an Essential Skill and the Complete Web Developer Course 2.0

The dotcom bubble burst that created panic in the late 90s
is all but forgotten. The doomsday analysts who predicted that computing and
the Internet would be hit badly have eaten humble pie. Every single day,
thousands of new websites are registered around the world. The Internet has
connected billions of people all around the world, e-commerce and services
booked through websites ranging from carpentry to books and airlines and train
bookings, the dotcom bubble burst is a ghost that will not return to haunt us
again!

Did you know that the UK has incorporated coding as an
essential part of the primary school framework? This is a key sign of how the
UK is thinking ahead to meet the growing demand of programmers and coders
across the world. Traditionally in India, students were introduced to computers
around class five. This has changed in the past four or five years with
children in kindergarten getting to view animated rhymes on the computer. But are
computers being used effectively in our education system? With the wealth of
knowledge available on the Internet we are seeing students as young as 13 and
14 setting up their own app and website design companies.

See this video --

It is high time that we in India wake up to the infinite
possibilities that learning coding offers to students. Imagine the ability to
design your own games and apps? The chances of securing freelance jobs to code,
even when you are in school? Or to participate in coding fests and win
attractive prizes? This summer vacation as a parent or an interested student;
why don’t you have a look at Skillability and sign up for the Complete Web
Developer Course?

'The Complete Web Developer 2.0' course. This has been
designed by renowned IT guru Rob Percival and is full of interactive lessons,
live projects, demos and a step-by-step road-map for even a complete novice to
turn into a skilled web developer. Priced at Rs 1495, the course is one of the
most comprehensive courses of its kind and is designed to be understood by
children as young as 12 to 13 years of age. By the end of this course you will
be able to build fully functional websites and web apps from scratch using
different programming languages and tools.

Ensure that your child uses the summer vacation productively and
learns much more than coding – the entire framework of web development. Register on www.skillability.in and join the Complete Web Developer 2.0 Course today!

A Broad Overview of the Drama for Autism Course

We at Skillability are honoured and proud to present the
Drama for Autism Course in association with Dr. Parasuram Ramamoorthi of the
Velvi Foundation. The course is scheduled to start on September 26 and we have
now extended the registration date to September 23. If you live in India, the
course is priced at INR 13,800 inclusive of all taxes. If you live abroad then
the course is priced at US$400.

Ever since we announced the launch of the course, we have
received enquiries about the course instructor and the content of the course.
This blog post will give you an overview of the instructor and the course.

About Dr. Ramamoorthi

• Retired Professor of Theatre
Madurai Kamaraj University. • Vice-Chair of International Association of Theatre for Autism.• A poet, playwright and internationally renowned director.• One of the pioneers in the field of Applied Drama.

Prof. Ramamoorthi has been
working in the field of Arts for Autism since 2003 and has conducted workshops
on drama for autism in Europe/England /USA and in several parts of India.

About the Drama for Autism Course

This is a detailed
course structured into 12 modules. The course is specifically designed for:

·• Parents of children with autism

·• Teachers working with children with autism

·• Special educationists and care-givers

On completing this course learners will get introduced to
the various concepts of drama, understand how drama can be used effectively to
help children with autism and get an insight into the creativity of children
with autism.

Autism is seen as a neurological disorder and it is also
called Pervasive Developmental Disorder. All scientific research indicates that
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a condition and not as a disease. Over the years
there has been a marked increase in the number of children being diagnosed with
ASD and parents of such children are finding it tough to offer them a proper
education. Specialised schools are less in number and securing admission in
them is quite tough. This course on Drama for Autism will be effective in
helping parents discover hidden facets of their children with autism and help
them communicate with their children.

Masks

Masks play a key role in this course. Children with autism
rarely look at others directly or face-to-face. Their eyes are focused on
something far away or look at the ground or their own hands. Masks are used in
this course to demonstrate how children socialize with others when their face
is covered by a mask.

The 12 modules of the programme will be interesting and
extremely useful for those working with children with Autism.

Don’t delay any further – join the Drama
for Autism course right away!

This is a comprehensive course with 12
detailed modules and has been developed by Dr. Parasuram from the Velvi
Foundation. The course uses elements of theatre to train parents and teachers
who care for children with autism.

The
course commences on September 26 and is scheduled to run for 24 weeks. There
are limited seats available on the course. So do not delay and enrol today.
Please note that enrolments close on September 20. In case of any queries write
to us at – helpdesk@skillability.in.

Autism – Understanding and Living with it

Autism is used to describe the condition Autism Spectrum
Disorder or ASD. This term covers a number of cognitive and psychological and
moto-sensory disorders that affects children. ASD is a clinically defined behavioural
syndrome that manifests in early childhood. The core symptoms of ASD include abnormal or
unreciprocated interpersonal and emotional interactions, disordered language
and communication, and repetitive and stereotypic behaviour.

With the May 2013 publication of the DSM-5 diagnostic
manual, all autism disorders were merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD.
Previously, they were recognized as distinct subtypes, including autistic
disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental
disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome.

First things first, autism is not a mental disorder, people
have to stop equating autistic children with mental patients. Despite all the
progress that the country has made autistic children and their parents still
undergo extreme partiality and societal stigma. Forget India, even in countries
like the UK and the USA, autistic children and their parents have a tough time.

Some traits of autistic children:

They are gifted in a skill like music or
painting

Have a powerful bond with pets like dogs, cats
and rabbits

Can have exceptional numerical skills

Tend to associate memories with specific colours

Difficulty in speaking coherently

Inability to perform basic actions like eating,
bathing, wearing clothes on their own.

Complete lack of sense of surroundings and
people around them

Inability to recognise people or socialise in
any way

Sudden mood swings punctuated by laughing and
crying spells

This makes it very difficult for autistic children to fit
into regular society and attend school with ‘neurologically normal’ children.
The key factor is that regular teachers are not trained or skilled to handle
the requirements of children with special education needs. It is important for
parents to understand the importance of helping their children overcome autism
with love, care, patience and exercises that help autistic children overcome
their impediments. Special schools have sprung up in leading cities in India and there are support groups made of parents of autistic children which work for inclusive education and share their knowledge.

At Skillability, we are proud to partner with Dr Parasuram
of the Velvi Foundation and bring to you the “Complete Course on Drama for
Autism”. This is an award-winning programme that incorporates elements of drama
and theatre and is a fun-filled way to help battle against autistm. We shall be
launching this course soon.

Skillability - Courses that help redefine careers!

At Skillability, we believe that there should be no barriers to learning. Exceptional learning content should not necessarily always come at a premium cost. We are clear in our approach on providing the following:

World-class courses

Affordable pricing

Transparent refund policy

Committed customer support

Courses that will cover various spheres of learning

An easy to use and understand interface

Currently, you can sign up for two courses:

The Complete Web Developer 2.0

The Complete Android Developer

These courses are the brainchild of tech guru Rob Percival one of the most renowned names in the world of IT education.